Driving Safety

Driving Safety

How safe are our roads?

Driving injuries-on or off the job
Unsafe acts behind the wheel
Driving under the influence
Road rage
Unsafe conditions
Vehicle safety features
Did you know?

How safe are our roads?

1995 data for the U.S.

43,900 deaths
5 deaths and 260 disabling injuries per hour
The # of deaths & # deaths/mile jumps in June, and peaks
in August.
Friday (especially evening/night hours) has more fatal
accidents than any other day

What about Arizona?

Arizona had the 2nd worst fatality record in the nation
(deaths/miles driven), second to Mississippi.

Driving injuries - on or off the job

The most hazardous environment

For most of us, whether on or off the job, it is on the road.
We face it daily.

A recent report from another AlliedSignal site:

A manager was beginning a business trip

Was driving from his house to the airport on the freeway
Was shaving and looking into the rearview mirror
Saw (in peripheral vision) something cut in front of him
Reacted by steering to the right, driving off the freeway and hitting a
tree
Result was a broken hip

Unsafe acts behind the wheel

Shaving
Putting on make-up
Reading a map
Reaching behind you to
spank kids
Not using a seatbelt
Driving under the
influence

Driving at an unsafe speed

Failing to stop or yield
Unsafe passing of another
vehicle
Tailgating
Not using blinkers
Others?

*Though perhaps in a different category, eating when

driving and using cell phones can compromise your
response time by distracting you and by removing one
hand from the steering wheel.

Driving under the influence (DUI)

Alcohol was involved in 41% of all traffic fatalities in 94

Sobering facts:
About 2 in every 5 Americans will be involved in an alcoholrelated traffic accident at some time in their lives
Remember the one-one rule: one drink per hour (Your body
takes about an hour to rid itself of each 1/2 ounce of alcohol)

Progress in this arena:

A social stigma has been building against drinking & driving
Many social drinkers are being more responsible

Road rage

Road rage is driving under the influence of too much

anger.
Provoked by:
Feeling endangered by someone elses driving (another
driver cuts you off or tailgates you).
Resentment at being forced to slow down
Righteous indignation at someone who breaks traffic rules
Anger at someone taking out their road rage on you

Therapy for road rage:

Take a deep breath and just let it go!

Unsafe conditions

Poor visibility

Night time driving (Fatality

rates/mile are 4 times higher
at night.)
Dust storms
Rain storms
Windshield wipers not
effective

Poor road conditions

Slippery surfaces from
weather
Road not properly maintained

Improper vehicle
maintenance

Inadequate brakes
Worn tread on tires
Hoses, belts
Inadequate acceleration
Headlight(s) out

Other?

Vehicle safety features

Daytime running lights

(Headlights that are on whenever

vehicle is running)

Air bags for driver & passenger

Combined with lap/shoulder belts,
they reduce risk of fatality by another
10%.

Note: Children in child seats

should not be placed in the
front seat of cars

Lap/shoulder safety belts

Reduce risk of moderate-to-fatal
injuries by approximately 50%.

Side impact airbags

Ability to disengage airbags

Child safety seats

Anti-lock brakes
Safety cages built into the
vehicle framework
If buying a new car, ask about
side-impact collision data.
Other?

Did you know?

When driving on a road that is new to you:

You eyes tend to scan the road from left to right which is an excellent driving habit.
We tend not to scan when in familiar territory.

How closely can you safely follow another car?

We tend to follow based on how much of the road we can see
A long hood causes us to follow at a greater distance (since you have to look
over the hood to see the street).
Drivers with shorter hoods tend to follow more closely
Use the 2 or 4 second rule
Good driving conditions, keep a 2 second distance behind
Poor driving conditions, keep a 4 second distance behind